Illuminated ash tray



July 16, 1963 R. CRAIN ILLUMINATED ASH TRAY Filed Sept. 29, 1961 INVENTOR. ROBERT E. CRAI N United States Patent 3,097,797 ILLUMINATED ASH TRAY Robert E. Crain, 1524 NW. 29th, Oklahoma City, Okla. Filed Sept. 29, 1961, Ser. No. 141,695 1 Claim. (Cl. 240-2) The present invention relates to ash trays and more particularly to an illuminated lash tray.

The principal object of the instant invention is to provide a means for connecting a lamp to an ash tray so that light rays emitted by the lamp will be diffused throughout the ash tray.

Another object is to provide an illuminated ash tray for lighting advertising media printed or painted on the surface of the ash tray.

An additional object is to provide an ash tray which will glow in the dark to define the boundaries of the tray thereby providing a safety feature against fire for individuals who smoke in bed.

Another object is to provide means for connecting a source of electrical energy to a transparent or tnanslucent receptacle whereby the electrical energy converted into light rays is diffused throughout the material forming the receptacle to enhance the appearance thereof.

The present invention accomplishes these and other objects by imbedding a lamp within the material forming a receptacle, or the like, including means connected with the lamp for connecting a source of electrical energy thereto.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying single sheet of drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of an ash tray having the instant invention installed thereon;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 5--5 of FIG. 4;

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view of a further embodiment of the invention; and,

FIGURE 7 is a wiring diagram.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which they occur.

In the drawings:

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, the reference numeral 10 indicates the device, as a whole, comprising an ash tray 12 preferably formed, in a conventional manner, of transparent material such as glass. The ash tray 12 is conventional having a central recess or indentation 14 for receiving ashes and cigarette stubs and includes a plurality of cigarette receiving depressions 16. A relatively low wattage rating neon lamp 17 and its housing 18 is imbedded within the material forming the ash tray 12. Electrical contact prongs 20 are connected in spaced-apart relation to the lamp 17 through the housing 18 in a conventional manner. The lamp is preferably provided with a series connected resistance element 22 (FIG. 7). A conventional extension cord, not shown, is connected at one end with a source of electrical energy, not shown, and is connected at its other end to the prongs 20 which lights the lamp. Light rays emitted by the lamp 17 are difi'used and reflected through- Patented July 16, 1963 ice out the material forming the ash tray. Since the lamp and its housing are imbedded within the material forming the tray, the entire device 10 may be immersed in water for cleaning after disconnecting the source of electrical energy.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, wherein an ash tray 30* is similarly formed of transparent material, in a desired configuration, and is nested within a receptacle 3 2. The receptacle 32 includes a horizontal bottom 34, opposing side walls 36 and 38 joined by end walls 40 and 42. The ash tray 30 is characterized by inwardly and downwardly converging outer walls 44, so that when received by the receptacle 32, a space 46 is defined between the ash tray 30 and the inward surfaces of the bottom and the respective end and side walls of the receptacle. One of the neon lamps 17 and its housing 18 is secured to the inward surface of the end wall 40, adjacent the upper surface of the bottom 34, with the prongs 20 of the lamp projecting outward beyond the outer surface of the end wall 40. When the prongs 20 are connected with a source of electrical energy, as disclosed hereinabove, light emitted by the neon lamp is reflected and diffused throughout the material of the ash tray 30. This form of the invention permits the ash tray 30 to be removed from the receptacle 32 for cleaning the ash tray without disconnecting the source of electricity.

A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 6 wherein a vase 50 is formed of transparent or translucent material to a desired configuration and one of the neon lamps and housing 18 is molded within the material forming the wall of the vase with the contact prongs 20 projecting laterally outward of the base for connection with a source of electrical energy as disclosed hereinabove.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to some change or alteration without defeating its practicability, and I therefore do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein, further than I am limited by the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A light radiating container, comprising: a receptacle formed of translucent material and having a thickened wall portion and having a recess extending inwardly of one of its walls; a neon lamp imbedded in the recess and contiguously contacted by the material forming said one wall of said receptacle; a lamp holder extending into and closing the recess; electrical conducting prongs connected with said lamp and said holder and projecting outwardly from said receptacle wall; and an electrical resistance element connected in series between one said prong and said lamp.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,119,267 Coleman May 31, 1938 2,481,394 Cannava Sept. 6, 1949 2,604,573 Raines et al July 22, 1953 2,839,670 Gladstone June 17, 1958 2,987,695 Peak et al. June 6, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 801,052 Great Britain Sept. 3, 8 

